100" Helice Levasseur Nieuport 28 Wooden Airplane Propeller

A Very Rare and Beautiful WWI Mahogany display propeller from Helice Levasseur of France for the Classic Nieuport XXVIII Fighter with the Gnome 150 engine in Excellent Condition.

This wonderful propeller features 9 laminations of Mahogany, extensive engravings, unique Levasseur shape (straight leading edges and curved trailing edges), beautiful wood grain and finish. The 8 bolt holes match the Gnome 150 engine (air-cooled 9 cylinder radial making 150HP). We believe this propeller was manufactured around 1917-19. The Nieuport 28 was a classic fighter aircraft of WWI and the first fighter flown by US forces in support of US troops and under US command. Also the first to score an aerial victory with an American unit. Several famous aces of WWI flew the Nieuport 28 including Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker. French propellers from WWI are quite rare in the US and fighter aircraft propellers are rarer still.

Engravings: SERIE 577 NUMERO 53039 E88 L I NIE MO 150 G. Numerous SFA inspection stamps (societe fabriques aeronautique). Also a pair of faint Helice Levasseur stamps at the blade base.

Condition: Very nice for a near 100 year old flown French propeller. Original finish, no rot, no delamination, a tip chip on one blade (barely noticable from the front/ display side), a few scratches, wonderful wood grain, excellent patina. This propeller displays beautifully.

Dimensions: Length 100 3/4" Hub Width 7 3/4" Hub thickness 5 3/4"

The aircraft pictured is a Nieuport 28 with a Levasseur propeller and Gnome radial engine on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, VA. The insignia of the Hat-In-The-Ring is from the famous 94th Aero Squadron.